Colombia » Caribbean Coast » Cartagena
Top Things to Do in Cartagena
We compared all 81 experiences in Cartagena so you can choose in minutes — real prices, verified reviews and our editorial picks.
4.7 81 experiences
from US$ 10
✓Free cancellation on most experiences
Sort
Cartagena Old Town & Getsemani Walking Tour with Local SnacksYou’ll wander Cartagena’s Walled City and Getsemani alongside a local guide who brings stories alive. Taste fresh arepa with egg and sweet raspao from street vendors, feel centuries-old stones under your hand, and step inside the Gold Museum’s cool halls—all in one day that feels more like a memory than just sightseeing.
Playa Blanca Cartagena: White Sand Beach & Baru Island Day TripYou're driven an hour from Cartagena's old town to Baru Island's white sand beach with a bilingual guide who explains the neighborhoods and history along the way. Five hours on the beach includes a quiet spot with restaurant access, palm huts, and sun chairs. Soft drinks and transport are covered, so you show up and swim.Is it for me?Book this if you want to reach Cartagena's actual white sand beach without renting a car or figuring out local transport—the guide handles the route and the timing, leaving you free to swim and rest for five hours.
Cartagena: Street Food Tour with Local Tastings & HistoryYou’ll taste your way through Cartagena’s historic neighborhoods with a local guide — from egg-filled arepas at Donde Magola to tropical fruits in La Matuna and sweet treats at Portal de los Dulces. Expect laughter over Costeñita beer, hands sticky from coconut candies, and stories behind every bite. Come hungry; you’ll leave full of flavor and small moments you’ll remember later.
Rosario Islands: 3 Island Tour with Lunch & CocktailsYou’ll start from Cartagena by speedboat for a day trip through Rosario Islands—Pao Pao’s welcome cocktail under mangroves, lunch on Islabela with three choices, and lazy hours at Bora Bora’s beach club. With a bilingual guide sharing stories along the way, you’ll catch small moments: birds overhead, music drifting on salt air, toes buried in warm sand.
Cartagena: Bazurto Market & Cooking Class with LunchYou're picked up from your hotel, driven to Bazurto Market for an hour of tropical fruit tasting and ingredient shopping, then taken to a local home where you cook one of seven dishes — stuffed fish, shrimp, soup, or vegetarian options — with wine and music included. Lunch is what you prepared. Transport, guide, water, snacks and all beverages are included; the whole day runs from pickup to dropoff.Is it for me?Book this if you want to eat something you made yourself and understand where it came from, without spending the morning figuring out markets or recipes on your own — the guide and the fixed itinerary handle both.
Cartagena Airport to Hotel: Private Transfer & Luggage HelpYou arrive at Cartagena de Indias airport, find your name on a sign at the exit, and get driven to your hotel in a private, air-conditioned vehicle with luggage help included. No shared rides, no waiting for other passengers, no haggling over price — just a straightforward transfer that gets you to your room without the usual airport friction.Is it for me?Book this if you land in Cartagena and want to skip the airport taxi scramble — a driver with your name waiting at arrivals means you go straight to your hotel without negotiating a fare or sharing the ride with strangers.
Cartagena Jet Ski Rental: 30 & 60 Minute Caribbean RidesYou arrive at the meeting point, get a safety briefing and life jacket, then ride a modern jet ski solo for either 30 or 60 minutes along Cartagena's coastline. The rental includes fuel and bilingual support, with an optional guide if you want one alongside you. Everything is transparent — no hidden fees, no surprises — so you can focus on the ride itself.Is it for me?Book this if you want to ride solo on your own terms without a guide hovering, and you value transparency — the operator tells you the price and what's in it, so you're not negotiating or discovering charges after you're done.
Cartagena: La Popa Convent & San Felipe Fort Morning TourYou're driven to four key stops in Cartagena's history: the monastery at the city's highest point, the colonial fortress, the Old Town's narrow streets and plazas, and the dungeons-turned-market. Entry to the convent and fort are included, as is the bilingual guide and transportation. You walk about twenty minutes total through the Old Town, and the whole experience runs a few hours before returning to your hotel.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Cartagena's main historical sites in one morning without arranging transport or buying tickets separately — the fixed itinerary and included guide handle all of that, leaving you free to ask questions and absorb the city's actual history rather than just its postcard version.
Cartagena: Walled City & Getsemani Walking Tour FreeYou walk the walled city's main squares and colonial streets with a local guide, then move into Getsemani to see street art and meet locals in their neighborhood. The tour includes Colombian beer and sweets, and you're back by early afternoon with a real sense of how Cartagena actually works. Tips are collected in advance, so there's no awkward moment at the end.Is it for me?Right for travelers arriving in Cartagena without a plan and wanting to understand the city's layout and history before exploring on their own. The couple of hours means you're not locked into a full day, and you'll actually know where things are afterward.
Cartagena to Santa Marta & Tayrona: Private Transfer & DriverYou're picked up at your Cartagena hotel and driven privately to Santa Marta, Minca, or Tayrona in an authorized vehicle with a professional driver who knows your name before arrival. The four- to six-hour journey includes tolls and fuel, with an optional one-hour food stop in Barranquilla. No shared minibuses, no haggling at the curb, no surprises about the vehicle or the fare.Is it for me?Book this if you're traveling between Cartagena and Santa Marta, Minca, or Tayrona and want to skip the minibus terminals and driver negotiations — the fixed price and authorized vehicle mean you arrive on schedule without the friction of arranging transport yourself.
Cartagena: Bike Tour, Bazurto Market Lunch & Getsemaní ArtYou’ll pedal along Cartagena’s breezy bay with a local guide, explore Getsemaní’s wild street art scene, and taste real market food at Bazurto—Anthony Bourdain style. Expect laughter over lunch, salty air on your skin, and a glimpse into daily life most travelers miss.
Cartagena: Fishing & Crabbing Tour with Lagoon Canoe & Beach LunchYou’ll paddle through Cartagena’s lush mangroves by canoe with a local guide, learn hands-on fishing and crabbing tricks, spot wildlife up close, then unwind over a fresh beachfront lunch with your catch or veggie options. Expect laughter, new skills, and moments of quiet beauty you’ll remember long after you leave.
Cartagena Party Boat: Rosario Islands, Barú & Cholón with LunchYou board a certified speedboat in Cartagena and visit five Caribbean stops in one day: the Bocachica Forts, Barú Island, the Rosario Islands, a panoramic view of a historic mansion, and Cholón party island. Lunch and drinks are included, along with sunbeds, a VIP beach service team, and an English-speaking host who manages the music and the pace. The boat returns you to Cartagena by evening, so you don't arrange transport, timing, or meals yourself.Is it for me?Right for anyone spending a day in Cartagena who wants the Caribbean islands, a meal, and music without arranging a private boat or figuring out which island to visit—the five stops and fixed schedule handle all of that, and the VIP service at Cholón means you're not managing your own orders while trying to enjoy the party.
Cartagena: ATV & Zipline Combo Tour with Ocean ViewsYou’ll ride powerful ATVs through Cartagena’s rugged countryside with a local guide, cross a canyon by zipline with sweeping ocean views, and finish with lunch near the beach. Expect laughter, a little dust on your shoes, and moments you’ll want to replay long after you leave.
Cartagena: Classic Car City Tour & Photo Shoot with PickupYou’ll ride through Cartagena’s Old Town in a classic 1950s convertible with a private driver—either guided or self-paced. Expect stops at San Felipe de Barajas Castle, Las Bóvedas market, and iconic plazas for photos and stories you won’t find in guidebooks. It’s equal parts history lesson and joyride—leaving you with sand in your shoes and maybe a new favorite Spanish word.
Cartagena: Beach Horseback Ride with Pickup & DrinksYou’ll ride gentle horses along Cartagena’s quiet northern beaches with a local guide—no experience needed. Feed your horse after, enjoy a cold drink by the sea, and let someone else handle all transport from your hotel or apartment. Expect laughter, fresh air, and maybe even a new four-legged friend.
Cartagena Bazurto Market: Local Food & Champeta Music TourYou move through Bazurto Market with a local guide, tasting vendor food and exotic fruits, riding public transport like residents do, and eating lunch at a restaurant with real history. The tour includes water, juice, dessert samples, and a bilingual guide who knows the vendors by name. You leave understanding how Cartageneros actually live, not how they perform for visitors.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see how Cartageneros actually shop and eat rather than visit a market staged for tourists — the public transport and the vendor relationships are what make that possible in three hours.
Cartagena: García Márquez Myths & Legends Private Walking TourYou’ll wander Cartagena’s historic center with a local guide who knows every legend behind García Márquez’s novels. Taste local sweets at Palito de Caucho, stand by the Hotel Santa Clara where fiction meets reality, and pause at Teatro Adolfo Mejía where art and literature cross paths. You’ll leave with more stories than you expected — some true, some maybe not.
Bogotá: Emerald Jewelry Workshop & Museum Tour with SouvenirYou’ll step inside a Bogotá workshop where local guides help you craft your own emerald jewelry, then wander through an intimate museum full of real Colombian stones. Taste fresh coffee or tea as you work with tools and choose two handmade pieces to keep — imperfect or not, they’re yours to remember Colombia by.
Cartagena: Palenque Culture & Mud Volcano Day Trip ComboYou’ll float in Totumo Mud Volcano’s warm embrace, then walk Palenque’s colorful streets with locals who share their music and stories. Feel Afro-Colombian rhythms firsthand, taste home-cooked coconut rice at lunch, and connect with a community where freedom lives on. This isn’t just sightseeing—it’s sharing real moments you’ll remember long after you leave.
